Bilirubin oxidation end products directly alter K+ channels important in the regulation of vascular tone.

ABSTRACT: The exact etiology of delayed cerebral vasospasm following cerebral hemorrhage is not clear, but a family of compounds termed 'bilirubin oxidation end products (BOXes)' derived from heme has been implicated. As proper regulation of vascular smooth muscle tone involves large-conductance Ca(2+)- and voltage-dependent Slo1 K(+) (BK, maxiK, K(Ca)1.1) channels, we examined whether BOXes altered functional properties of the channel. Electrophysiological measurements of Slo1 channels heterologously expressed in a human cell line and of native mouse BK channels in isolated cerebral myocytes showed that BOXes markedly diminished open probability. Biophysically, BOXes specifically stabilized the conformations of the channel with its ion conduction gate closed. The results of chemical amino-acid modi

SUBMITTER: Hou S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2970662 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature